One of the hallmarks of industrialized society is the ability to move large quantities of liquid from a centralized source to a second location—often traversing large distances and complex geography. One example is municipal transport of treated, purified and potable water from a centralized facility to individual residents for consumption. A second example is transporting low temperature liquid natural gas (LNG) from centralized containers to commercial facilities to provide energy. Yet a third example is moving crude oil through various pipelines in remote and desolate areas to coastal ports for transport via tanker for refining into petroleum.
In each of the aforementioned examples, it becomes crucial to accurately measure the volumetric quantity of fluid flowing through these various conduits, tubes and pipelines. This is because the volume transported and ultimately received by the consumer directly correlates to the price charged for the fluid. In most cases, this volume is gauged through a meter placed within the stream of the passing fluid—rather than measuring an end-filled reservoir.
As previously discussed, access to a municipal water supply represents one of the most important examples of transport of large quantities of fluid (here, water) from a centralized source to various end users. Current statistics suggest that over three and one-half billion people throughout the world have access to a centralized water supply for domestic and commercial use. This water supply is accomplished through a series of conduits, pipes and fittings. In most cases, the centralized facility—usually a public utility—controls the supply, delivery, purification and processing of the water being delivered. Often, this water is delivered to these end users with a specific level of pressure to provide a sufficient flow rate for use in a variety of different applications. Typically, the specific water pressure delivered by most centralized municipal water generally ranges from 30 to 85 psi.
Measuring and gauging the actual amount of water consumed from a municipal water authority by a residence currently is unfortunately more of an art than science. Most public utilities position individual water meters at each residential and commercial facility that draw from the centralized offerings of potable water. These water meters are measured each month either manually—or more recently through automated systems—to bill each consumer for water drawn and used from the municipal water authority. Accordingly, most measurement of water drawn by end users occurs generally at the point of delivery of the fluid.
Despite advances in civil engineering, which include pre-fabricated conduits for transport of treated water, there exist several drawbacks that impede the accurate measurement of water drawn by consumers. Many of these drawbacks are due to air being introduced within the various conduits that form the water supply lines. The quantity of this air varies from small air bubbles caused by cracks, holes or breaches within the conduits, to larger air pockets resulting during repair and/or maintenance of the water supply lines. In addition, damage to the water supply lines, often caused by natural disaster, accident or similar event can also trigger introduction of quantities of air.
Regardless of the cause, these air bubbles or air pockets will travel along the path of water flow within the water supply lines and will ultimately be delivered to the residential or commercial facility. As a result, the introduction of this air into the water supply line will be measured by the water meter and charged to the corresponding facility as drawn/used water. This is due to the fact that most, if not all, conventional water meters are not structured to distinguish between air flow and water flow passing therethrough. Put another way, a water meter would read (and correspondingly bill) passage of five liters of water and one liter of air as six liters of water. As a result, accidents or degrading of municipal water supply lines—the root of which is ultimately the responsibility of the public utility—will lead to introduction of air, higher meter readings and unfortunately higher billings to the end user.
Another factor that further complicates this issue is that most municipalities (or in the alternative states) have enacted ordinances or other laws, which prohibit tampering or altering convention water meters. As such, end users cannot place any type of venting device to remove trapped air within the water supply line just prior to the water meter—without violating some form of local law. This is particularly frustrating as it is the underlying municipality that is often the cause of this air within the water supply lines—a predicament that is ultimately paid for by the consumer.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art of water distribution for an appropriate way to eliminate the charging of under users/consumers of public utilities for the passage of air through a water meter prior to being drawn into a domestic or commercial facility. Put another way, there is a need for an effective device—placed subsequent to the water meter but prior to the underlying facility—that will reduce a conventional water meter from charging for air passing through the water supply. Moreover, such device should be robust, simply designed and which functions to enhance rather than alter the functionality of the water meter. Such a device should not solely be used for improving the accuracy of water meter readings, but could also be used to properly measure other fluid flows such as liquid natural gas, crude oil and/or petroleum passing through a conduit.